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And Out Of The Darkness Came The Light

Today is the Winter Solstice for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the day when the sun has reached it’s Southernmost point on the horizon. The day that has the shortest number of daylight hours. The darkest day of the year. But from Sunday, the sun will then begin the slow trek Northwards once more. However, a few days before and after the Solstice the change is so imperceptible that it appears to stand still. In fact the word Solstice comes from the Latin, meaning “sun” and “to stand still”. The wheel of the year is turning once more towards the light.

Tonight in my home, I will light a candle to chase away the darkness and take a little time out of the hurly burly of Christmas preparation for a little quiet reflection.

I’ll leave you with a lovely poem, written by Susan Cooper, entitled The Shortest Day. Have a wonderful, peaceful day.

The Shortest Day

And so the shortest day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive,
And when the new year’s sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us – Listen!!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.
Welcome Yule.

6 thoughts on “And Out Of The Darkness Came The Light”

I love that poem and the idea of chasing the darkness away. It seems to have been dark most of the day here recently, so as a girl who loves the sunshine I will burn candles, put on the Christmas lights and build up the fire. Thank you and have a brilliant bright Christmas. xx

What a lovely post. I will try this lighting the candle idea next year. I think it is a great way to chase the darkness away

Bannana bread for my little grandson baking in the oven…it is his favourite and they are coming over for the day tomorrow to help make mincemeat pies! I have made up a little apple fillingtoo as I am not sure they will like the mincemeat!

I have a couple of logs of unsliced shortbreads in the downstairs fridge so they will think it is great to get to use a knife to cut them and lay them out on the cookie sheets. We are not careful about the edges…on they go and soon get gobbled up by the family who does not care about the “tidy look”…teeehee

Merry Christmas…it is a Baileys in my coffee tonight and feet up listening to some great tunes!
See you in 2014.

What a lovely poem and I didn’t know the meaning of the word solstice but it makes sense when explained. I’m so glad the shortest day has passed. It was getting dark here at 3.30pm . Not nice at all. hope you have a lovely Christmas and I wish you a Crafty New Year. Hugs Mrs A.

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